On Tuesday, the U.S. military executed an operation against another ship believed to be involved in drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. This marks the fourth such attack reported in recent days.
This latest strike is part of a broader series of military actions targeting vessels alleged to be trafficking drugs in Latin American waters—initiated over seven months ago and ongoing amid the military’s focus on the conflict involving Iran.
With this recent incident, the operation’s death toll has risen to 175 since it began in early September.
The U.S. Coast Guard has since ceased its search for a lone survivor from the attack on Saturday.
On social media, U.S. Southern Command shared aerial footage that depicted a ship in the water, which exploded after being struck.
Earlier reports indicated that two boats had collided on Saturday, with a third incident reported the following Monday.
The military maintains that all the targeted vessels were “operated by a designated terrorist organization,” asserting their involvement in activities along recognized drug trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific. However, they have not provided concrete evidence to back these claims.
President Trump characterized the situation as an “armed conflict” with drug cartels in Latin America, advocating for these strikes as necessary to curb the influx of drugs into the U.S. and address the associated rise in overdose deaths.
Yet, the administration has been criticized for lacking evidence to substantiate claims regarding the elimination of “narco-terrorists.”
The airstrikes commenced several months prior to the U.S. operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January on drug-related charges, which he denies.
Critics have raised questions about the legality and effectiveness of these naval attacks, particularly since many of the fentanyl overdoses occur due to drugs smuggled from Mexico, where they are produced using chemicals imported from China and India.
